1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to methods of applying electrotherapy to the body to stimulate the contraction of targeted muscle groups. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods of using electrotherapy on the muscle groups in the face.
2. Prior Art Description
It is well known that as a person ages, they lose muscle tone. As tone is lost in the muscles of the face, many of the muscles shrink and sag. This volume loss in conjunction with loss of tone causes parts of the face to appear sunken, sagged and in need of a face lift. Some people attempt to minimize the effects of aging by using various creams and ointments. However, these remedies only affect the skin and have no affects on the underlying muscle.
To alter the resting tone of the underlying muscle and deep tissues of the face, a person only has only a few options. A first option is to exercise those muscles of the face. A second option is to undergo a surgical facelift procedure. However, surgical facelifts are expensive and subject a person to the many dangers inherent in surgery. Surgical facelifts also have the disadvantages of having a long recovery time, result in new scars, and may producing results that look unnatural and/or unappealing. A third option is to have a medically approved filler injected into the deep tissues of the face. Injections while replacing volume to a degree do not increase resting tone of the musculature which would result in lifting the tissues.
Of the available options, the superior method for facial rejuvenation is to exercise of the muscles of the face. If the muscles of the face are exercised regularly, they will increase in both firmness and mass. As such, a person's face will naturally, without injections, appear fuller, firmer and less saggy. This restores a more youthful appearance. The primary shortcoming of exercising the muscles of the face is that it heretofore has been impossible to accomplish exercise to any significant degree. Several muscle groups extend across the face. It has not been feasible to perform exercises that isolate and contract the different muscle groups with enough intensity and resistance to produce a substantial change in muscle tone, volume or strength.
The muscles of the face can be exercised using electrotherapy, wherein the muscles are stimulated using an externally applied electric current. In the prior art, systems and methods have been developed to apply electrotherapy to the muscles of the face. Such prior art systems and methods are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 2,842,136 to Browner and U.S. Pat. No. 6,801,808 to Lee. However, such prior art devices have not found commercial success because they share an inherent problem. In the face, there are numerous nerves and muscles groups. Every person has a slightly different anatomy which places those nerves and muscles in slightly different positions on the face. As such, it has not been possible to create a product that will operate properly on all people in the specific region required. Rather, prior art devices tend to work properly on only a small insignificant subset of people.
In prior art electrotherapy systems, the electrodes are merely placed indiscreetly on the skin over any number of muscles that are desired to be contracted. However, placing electrodes in such a position may have the unintended effect of stimulating other nerves and muscles. For example, many of the muscles of the face overlap the masseter muscle, which is the primary muscle for closing the jaw. If electrotherapy is applied to the face, it can easily cause contraction of the masseter. This can cause the jaw to clench and cause pain, tooth damage and/or injury to the tongue. In addition, an uncoordinated contraction of a large group of facial muscles is in itself very painful and of no use for the purpose described below.
A need therefore exists for a system and method for applying electrotherapy to the muscles of the face that can be customized to the anatomy of an individual so as not to cause pain, yet to efficiently enhance targeted muscles. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.